Individual Details
Thomas Sawyer
(1616 - 12 Sep 1706)
Events
| Birth | 1616 | Lincolnshire, England |  | ||
| Death | 12 Sep 1706 | Old Settlers Burial Yard, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Prescott (1629 - 1716) |
| Child | Caleb Sawyer (1659 - 1755) |
| Father | John Sawyer (1583 - 1660) |
| Mother | Agnes Sharpe ( - ) |
Notes
Birth
Thomas sailed to the new world from his home in Lincolnshire, England in 1636 with his two brothers, William, and Edward. He first settled in Ipswich, and Rowley MA. In 1646 he moved west to what is now Lancaster,MA with 5 other families, thereby becoming the first settlers in that area.In 1648 he married Mary Prescott, daughter of John Prescott, and Mary Platt. Born to them were Thomas(my 8th great grandfather) b.1649, Ephraim b.1651, Marie b.1653, Elizabeth b. 1654, Joshua b. 1656, James b. 1657, Caleb b. 1659, John b. 1661, Elizabeth b.1664, Deborah b. 1666, Nathaniel b. 1670, Martha b. 1673, and Hannah b.?Thomas contributed much to the settlement and development of Lancaster. He served as Prudential Manager, Selectman, and Freeman. Not only a blacksmith, he was a builder as well, and, with his father-in-law, John Prescott, erected many saw mills and grist mills. Like most settlers, he was also a part-time soldier, and the Sawyer home was one of five garrison houses where town inhabitants took refuge during Indian raids. Son Ephraim died during the so-called Great Massacre of Feb. 10. 1676, when King Philip,(an Indian chief given that name by the English, in order to flatter him) and some 1500 warriors attacked the town. Thomas Sawyer lived most of his life in a house on a low-lying lot beside the Nashua River, bordering Narrow Lane in South Lancaster near the Atherton Bridge.
Thank you to Eleanor G. Sawyer for the biographical information taken from her book, "SAWYER FAMILIES II, EDWARD, WILLIAM, THOMAS 1636-2005" Penobscot Press. 2005